Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Fay Ripley (Part One)

Episode Date: September 1, 2026

This week Emily and Ray take a stroll across North London’s Parliament Hill with the wonderful Fay Ripley and her very smartly dressed dog, Apple, who arrived wearing a bow tie especially for the occasion.Fay chats about her childhood growing up in Surrey, her brilliantly named dad Beverly and the three attempts it took before she finally got into drama school. She also looks back on some of the more unusual jobs she had before acting took off, including working in a tanning salon and, rather wonderfully, as a clown.They talk about the role that changed everything, playing Jenny in Cold Feet, and how Fay dealt with suddenly becoming incredibly famous. There’s also the story of meeting her husband, actor Daniel Lapaine, and the rather surreal occasion when Fay found herself giving acting advice to Robert De Niro.And away from acting, Fay talks about her other great passion, food. She’s written three bestselling cookery books and shares how cooking became another important part of her career.It’s a wonderfully funny and unfiltered walk with one of Britain’s best-loved actors, featuring two extremely handsome dogs, some refreshingly candid thoughts on fame and a passing child who makes the grave mistake of complimenting Ray without extending the same courtesy to Apple.Follow Emily:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyrebeccadeanX: https://twitter.com/divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Will NicholsMusic: Rich JarmanArtwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coco's the Health Centre, the only place you were allowed to smoke was in the gym. Okay? That is the true story. Anyone can write in who used to go to Coco's. I used to put the ashtrays by the running machines. This week on walking the dog, Ray and I took a stroll with a very wonderful Faye Ripley and her beautiful dog, Apple. I'm not going to lie, I fell in love with Faye instantly when I saw that she put an actual bow tie on her dog to look smart for our walk. This is absolutely my kind of woman. And we had the nicest walk over North

London's Parliament Hill chatting about phase childhood growing up in Surrey. I'm obsessed by the sound of her dad, by the way, mainly as he was called Beverley and drove a Rolls-Royce, my kind of man. And how she auditioned three times for drama school before finally getting in, along with some of the jobs she did before her career really took off, which included tanning salon receptionist and clown. Yep, that genuinely was the job she wrote down when she got her first mortgage. Faye also told me about getting the part in Coldfeet and just how much it changed her life. Why, she doesn't really believe people who say they don't like being famous and I also couldn't wait to hear the story of her meeting her husband, the actor Daniel LePain, who famously starred in Muriel's

wedding. And then there's the small matter of the time when she found herself being asked to give acting tips to Robert De Niro. She's also a phenomenal cook and has written three best-selling cookery books, which by the way are all still available on Amazon. Faye is genuinely one of the nicest people ever to go for a walk with, partly because she's hilarious, but also because despite starring in one of the most successful British series ever, there's nothing remotely grand about her. Except, it turns out, when a passing child stops to compliment Ray and fails to extend the same courtesy to her dog. I'll leave you to hear how that played out. Really hope you enjoy our walk. Here's Faye and Apple and Ray Ray.

Thank God Ray has got the same length legs as me because I swear to God I if I was worried we were going to go in any way uphill because that's not going to work for me not on the radio on the wireless. Do you know what I have this a lot with people turn up six foot three Amazonians with big Labrador's. I mean, we're just left behind in their wake. Yeah, no worries today. So we're okay. I honestly, I almost burst into tears when I saw your dog.

I think it's something about dogs in human clothing that makes me sort of cry and your dog has a bow tie on and it made me weak with emotion. Yes, I mean, I have to say, dogs are not happy about bow tie because it's sort of slightly uncomfortable Velcro situation. But I felt it was a special occasion. And, you know, when you have little dogs, this is the joy, you're completely in control of every decision. You know? Yes, I love that.

Now that I have no control over anyone else in my family. Because your kids are grown up. And they appear not to be taking any notice of me. So now I've got Apple, new to the team. And this is Apple here. Apple, what a great name. Apple, yeah. So we've very recently got Apple

and Apple is five and that's not his name. So I've given him the name Apple but I think you'll understand what's happening here. So Apple's, I have to whisper it so that he doesn't have trauma but it's crumble.

Was the real name? And I just couldn't face it on the Heath on Hampstead Heath. So I decided to go for the filling. Do you see what I mean? Why couldn't you face crumble? I just, I mean, I couldn't. Crumble!

Oh, no, no, no, no. Luckily, I think, oh no, oh no, Apple just looked at me. Like, oh, that's my real name. So it's like, can you imagine somebody adopts you and just ignores your actual name? I mean, I imagine it's illegal with children, isn't it? I don't know, but. Well, like I say, he's got no choice. I think it fits, and it's not that far away.

I mean, it totally is, but, you know. And do we know anything about Apple's heritage in terms of what kind of dog? There looks like some maltese in there. Multi poo. Multi poo. Yes. So just re-homed. No trauma.

Lovely loving home. But they just needed a bit of sort of, you know, space and didn't quite have the sort of bandwidth for crumble. And so crumble came to us and became. Apple and we're still working on that recognition you know and so and so yeah no fortunately no traumatic backstory but are you where did you get Apple from or did you go through a dog charity? Hampton Court not like not like Henry the 8th like through the official channels but that was the area oh I see my mum's friend I was your mom's friend A lovely story, Faye.

Anyway, it was a good thing for them. It was an amazing thing for us. Yeah. And because we had very recently our other dog, and I think, Ray, if you're listening, our dog, our family dog, was called Barry. And I feel that's very much in the same vein as Raymond. Yes, I wanted the sort of name you'd get here,

someone called in the Sweeney. Exactly. Do you know what I mean? Well, and on the Heath, on Hampson, When you call the name Barry and probably Raymond, women of a certain age come up and they go, that was my ex-husband's name. And they get all agro and sort of tell you their life story of how miserable they were in their marriage. I get that a lot.

I get people sound, they see, the first they go, Raymond for a dog. And I say, yeah, Raymond. And they say, it's always exactly, that was my husband's name. And they sound like, but that's my husband's name. Well, that's my father's name. There you go. And guess what? My mother, one of her many marriages...

I love her already. One was Raymond. And I didn't remember his name. And I arrived late for the wedding. And I ran down the aisle. They'd just got... This vows had just been done. I'm laughing so much.

My shoe fell off, by the way. And I ran down and I sort of looked... There was only about five people there because, frankly, it was a bit of a shotgun situation. And I couldn't remember it was Ray or Raymond. And I thought, so I just went for Dad. I just went, congratulations. Dad.

I was well into my 30s at this point. That's literally like something out of cold feet. I love that story. It is true though. Anyway, Raymond's dead now. Don't listen, Raymond. Roman's no longer with us. But is your mum, is it Martina?

Martina, yes. She's still with us? She is? Yeah. Almost. Oh, I see what you mean? But yes, yes, very much so. And tell me about your dog that you had prior to...

Barry? Yes. Yes. Yeah, he was 16. He was a cockapoo. He was adorable, but unfortunately he stank. So he did become very sort of unsociable in that sense. You know, I was a bit embarrassed about Barry.

I loved him dearly. Where did he just general smell all over or teeth or like Henry VIII smell when he got older? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think there was, you know, I think there were open sores. But it was, it was the time, it was, there was a time when it was no longer feasible for Barry. But he was a much loved family dog basically. So you obviously, the fact that you then got Apple. Yes.

You're obviously a huge dog person, aren't you? It wasn't like, oh, we've had a dog, we can live without one. I think what I've discovered with Apple is I was brought up with dogs. I've always had dogs in the house. But I think what I've discovered is that I think that I've realized I've got another level of love for Apple. And I think what I've discovered, I was brought up with big dogs, proper dogs. I think I'm someone who's a small dog lover. I think I found my size.

Do you see what I mean? We're always looking here. Exactly. I think they're getting on quite well though though Faye. Yeah, how are we doing here? What do you think? Because Ray really likes small dogs. Well look at this, it's no problem.

Yes, mine will bark at big dogs but not at small ones. So we're good, oh no. He's allowed to do that? What? The... He's allowed to sniff his bottom. There's nothing there. It's not.

going to be just sniffing oh do you think it might escalate do you think it might escalate I think I'm not sure we're going to be asking for consent that's my worry you know what I mean well the good news it but you're back Ray I think easier with two males maybe I don't think Apple cares oh really what what Ray's preferences are either way if I'm honest come on Ray we're gonna get a coffee now come with me and Fay and Apple Do you have this? Every time I hug anyone, yeah. Apple, you know, has a go on my leg.

Oh, interesting. I wonder what that is about? Jealousy, I don't know. Maybe it is. I don't know. Come on Ray. Also, just to manage expectations fail on the walking front, I will have to pick him up soon because he's so lazy.

When you say soon, you already are. Yeah, I know. But I'm picking him up to go. to get him out so he doesn't slow us down but here we go yeah but like I say I like Ray's pace this is really great for me. Alyssa Campbell didn't well of course because he's very outdoorsy and very sort of he's always walking and swimming and all that I'm very much sitting me oh you're as a sport do you know I knew I was going to get on with you you're my kind of person yeah so

the dogs that you grew up with you were saying big dogs like Labradors yeah sort of Labradors mainly And this was in Surrey, was it? And was it, am I right in thinking your parents split up when you were pretty young about two? Two, yeah. Splitting your time between both their houses? Correct, yes. Sort of half the week, half the week, that sort of thing.

It's all a bit of a blur at this stage, this many years later, but yes. But your dad was pretty wealthy and was your mum not so wealthy? That's right. Yes. So I sort of, in my memory, my dad was J.R. Ewing. And we, because he had a Rolls-R-Royce and big fat cigar. Rolls-Royce, that's so good, haven't. We sort of, and sort of a, and quite a distasteful new build with Collins.

But I don't even know if it was, but that's in my head. Yeah. And then my mum was this sort of rather glamorous, blonde, tasteful woman who lived in a very little house with an outside toilet. not always but you know at one stage of the game and and her husband my step-dad at the time as a musician blah blah blah so it was very much a childhood of two halves in a way yeah that's really interesting and yes I suppose that it sort of makes sense of what I decided to do in a way because you sort of have had a little bit of everything thrown in you know albeit in the very comfortable suburban

endings of Sunday, you know what I mean? But I know what you mean, that sort of flitting between, just in terms of your identity, you know, it wasn't as straightforward as, oh, I've got a wealthy dad. No, I mean, what it, you know, you can very, I don't need a therapist to work out why all I wanted as a child, you know, my only goal was to own my own home. And the reason, obviously for that was I just wanted a bedroom to stay in all, the time basically and that has sort of stayed with me on my life really a nesting a need to nest because you don't have to pack on a wednesday you know what i mean and were you closer to

your dad or your mom did you have good relationships with both of them or i um i was i was probably closer to my dad yeah he was my main sort of caregiver for the early years and uh there And then I was close, you know, and I'm, you know, I was then close to both and I'm very close to my mum now and she lives in Brighton and she's jazzy. I think basically she's the mairest of Brighton. I can see Brighton for her from the picture your painting of her. That seems perfect for her retirement. That's right. So. And was it just you feel or did you have siblings? I was the only, I was the only one from that marriage but they all, everybody married multiple times so I was brought up on my dad's side with stepbrothers and sisters and then they also had my brother Deakin so I had halves and steps and so I have you know and I have my my mom had my

sister with her husband and so you know quite modern I'd say a fairly modern set up and yeah And I was watching an episode, it was you and Hermione Norris on the Ancestry DNA program, which is fascinating. Oh my God, that was interesting. And, oh my God, you might actually have to cut this out because this is sort of rather local. Well, it's not, I don't, you don't have to. Yeah. But it might be boring. But what they didn't include, which they told me, which was incredible to me, because they went through.

And they sort of discovered all this stuff about the fact that, well, clearly, I come from a very well-to-do London line of all sorts of interesting people. But own Saddle as Wales theatre, made playing cards, which sounds shit. But back then it was a big deal. For the king. Sorry that made playing cards for the king. And it was a goldsmith. My God, it's not birthday cards for a hallmark. Anyway, but in all that they had so much material that one of the things that they couldn't include because they had so much to sort of include in the show

was my connection to Highgate where I live and where we are today on Hanson Heather on the Highgate side and bear in mind I'm married to an Australian who's across the world to come here meet me, have children live his life here and me from Surrey as far as I I I found this bit of the world by pure chance right and we live I can say vaguely we live basically at the bottom of Highgate Cemetery more or less yeah our house looks onto the cemetery I it's very close we were saying earlier to where I grew up exactly yeah anyway guess what they found on the DNA show that they didn't include what no connection to the area remember that Yeah. But put that to one side. I look out on the cemetery. Remember that. They've never found a family tomb before. I've got a family tomb. It's not in high gate cemetery, is it? I've lived here for 25 years, or 20 years or whatever it is.

There's a Ripley to every day taking my kids to school up the Swains Lane, which cut through the middle. I passed my family tomb every day. I had no idea. No one here in my family. They must have had a bit of money to have a family tomb. Those things that set you back of it. Nowadays it's all Russians. I know. Now I get him free. That's such a beautiful cemetery though.

Cheers. So are your family in there then? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which is really nice. It's actually very hard.

Yeah. It's hard to get in. Do you know I do? It does. It is. Only the best for that. It is. But like, I mean, it's a lot.

I mean, it's a weird thing to say well done on, but it's... Could you put a word in? But I know, I'm all right. Do you know what? It's exactly that when I got the pass through, it was a big day. There's a big moment. Oh, look at this cafe, Faye. Is this one they've redone?

They have redone. It's quite controversial. Why? Well, because I think... We're on Hampstead Heath, we should say. We are on Hampstead Heath, and there's been a sort of a bit of an uproar. I mean, privately, and thank God. are not being recorded, I'm delighted.

But don't tell anyone on my WhatsApp group, because I'm pretending to be outraged. Oh, they, why don't they like it? It's too poor. Well, because it's new. I think it's a bit of a chain, so it's not an independent, and I'll always fight for an independent,

but not if it's shit. No. So, you know. No, not if it's looking. You see, that's the thing. There's almost, I think they like it sometimes when it looks like it's sort of a 1974 cafe. But I still, you, poor.

But I quite like this. Oh, this is something special. I mean, it's not, to be fair, it's not quite delivering on the quality yet. I'm going to give them a kind of six months window to achieve something a bit better quality wise. But it. So what's that about? That's just because big dog's so sorry. So that was Apple sort of collie?

Just to any big dog. Really? Yeah. It's really dull. It's alright because Apple was fine with Ray, wasn't he? Oh yeah, little fellas like you, Ray, you're all right. I think Apple really likes Ray. So I think so.

I think they could be good friends, Faye. I plan to make you my friends, so it's worked out quite well. Aren't they doing the weird dog thing where they just ignore each other? Yeah. It's like men though, don't you think when women get to know each other, they really bond and find that all about each other. Whereas men talk about the football and kind of ignore. each other. No offence to Will my lovely producer. I don't think Will talks about the football

at all. Oh don't you? What do you? What do you? What team? Oh do be quiet. But at least we know he's proper because it's Nottingham Forest. Yeah, actually yeah I see. No one, no offense but no one would choose. Do you want to? That's totally fine. How about you have to ask though? Hi. So what he says is all right to stroke him just so you know he's okay with Nice. Ray, you're getting a very gentle touch there. That's so sweet. Oh, does he?

So he knows what he's doing, doesn't he? Well, let's hope so. He's fluffy, isn't he? He's very... He's very soft, isn't he? And he likes being stroked. He really likes that. He does. Do you not like my dog? No. Yeah, you're ignoring my dog. Okay. Hey! Hello. Yes, oh look at this lovely little girl who's going to stroke my dog.

That's nice. I'm sorry, my friend's quite needy. Yes, okay, that's it. They are very beautiful dogs. Oh, thank you. Okay. Fine. Do you feel better now? Yes, I do. I mean, you know, I'm not proud of myself.

You have to get used to this with Ray. Well, Ray's clearly a superstar. It's like dating Harry Styles. You just learn to accept that it's not about you. Yeah, exactly. I mean, it's horrible. Don't get me wrong. No, I've got an eye on. Have an eye.

Sorry, Nile. The Nile doll's always left on the show. Anyway. Do you know what? I know this is weird, but whenever I hear children speak French, I'm always so impressed that they could speak French, even if they are French. Because it sounds so sophisticated and intellectual. Are they bilingual? Yeah. Isn't that cute? Do you like the doggy?

No. He's ever so sweet. Yeah, still a lot of attention on red. Still a lot. I mean, yeah, thank you. Thank you. Actually it's more cutter than this one. More cute, okay. Right, what's your name? Oh, Apple, Apple.

You see what happens? Sorry, so what did you say? You said my dog is cuter than that one, is it? Oh, what's your name, please? Gabon, Gabon. Gabon? I know that, now, I want you to see, now, Apple, very cute. Don't you think he's very cute?

Oh, Pom. Pomp de Tere. Oh, no, that's a potato. That's actually a potato. No, it's POM. It's just POM isn't it? Just POM? Just POM.

Although potato's a good name for a doll. It's quite a good name to be fair. Oh, well, anyway. Well done, Ray. It was lovely to meet you, Gabon. I think we have to go now. Oh, bye, bye, bye, God. Oh, bye, Lys Alfoy, little Fong.

Bye. You're going to have to drag him away. Oh, guess what happened at the end of that as well, the ultimate shame. I tried to speak to them in French, like the waiters and they replied in English. They did. I went au revoir. And they went goodbye.

Yes. Don't even. Don't even. Right. Let's get coffees now, Faye. Do you want to drink? Coffee water tea? Oh.

So I'm getting a really interesting idea of your childhood, actually, because I know that thing of, I suppose it's about I always felt. I was saying to you earlier before we started recording. Yeah. I went to like a private school round. here and all the girls were quite well-thinking because my parents were sort of a bit more boho theatre people there was that sense of having a slight not the mantra of my identity but like feeling different things depending on where I was you know yes did you ever feel that growing up did you yeah yeah so I would sort of inhabit a swanky hotel

yeah and feel like I own it because my dad's here and he's you know we're arriving in you know and he's got a speedboat or whatever and but then um then I would also own the space that was living with my mum and my mum had a beautiful home and made everything I probably more lovely in her home than my dad's home in many ways much more of a home much more of an aesthetic that I probably inherited and took on and enjoyed but um but you know on a budget so yeah Oh, hello. Oh, I'd rock my phone, it's fine. Well, let me get it.

Hang on. There we are. But yeah, so I mean, looking back on it, I sort of, I think like anyone's child. I'm just going to carry it away, away from the game. It's quite noisy, isn't it? Here, why don't I take it? No, I'll do the catering as well. You're doing everything for.

Hang on. Okay, should we look, we'll go over by that bed? That's a great idea. Yes, I can see that. So I sort of, you know, you know, I sort of, you. Yeah, I sort of... But that makes you adaptable. I think it makes you...

I think it did, yeah. What I'm going to call, and I can sort of tell this about you instantly, I call it ambassadorial. So when someone's an ambassador in that they can move from one situation very seamlessly to another, and that's helpful in your career as an actor. It is. When you say that, there's some categories I can't move seamlessly into, like sports.

I agree with you. So that's, you know, there's probably others, but I think that's a key area that I'm very much a fish out of water. But what I mean is it gives you, it means you'll probably put apple. What have you seen? Oh, there's a big dog. That's a big dog. It's big enough.

That's a dachshund. No, it's the one further. Look. Oh, come on. I've seen that one. I swear to God. He wouldn't be barking at this. I'm so thrilled at how calm apple is around Ray.

I know. They're getting on tremendously. But yeah, he doesn't mind the dachshund. You're right. No, any little legs are fine. No, that's why he likes us. That's right. We're small.

We're small. Yeah, that's, oh, okay, fine. But no, I mean that thing about being quite portable, I suppose, socially. You know those people that you can thrust them into any social situation and they'll sort of deal with it? Do you think they're... That's a skill, isn't it? I try and get that in my kids, actually. I don't know about you.

It's a sort of... And probably necessary to sort of get on in life now. Yeah. In the way that, which isn't the case now. my parents always say you have to speak well. That was, elocution lessons was a thing. Yeah. And you know, you can always be a receptionist if you can speak well.

And by the way, I bloody was. On multiple occasions, I was a receptionist. Probably still will be in the future. You were everything, though. But I was everything, that's true. And we're going to get on to that because I'm obsessed with your career before Fayette-Rickley actress. But anyway, I think that's a good thing for one's kids

is to say, yeah, you need to be able to sort of walk into a, any room nowadays I think and look creative people act as whoever yeah that is one of the few things they can do I can't read a book but I can walk into a room yeah you know what I mean so oh well at least something so that's good and why are you when like when I met you I don't know but you're very good at making people feel comfortable I think you're very warm you've got a good energy around you and I wonder was that something that you always had as a kid um Well, I don't know because I don't know if any of us know how we were perceived. I'm always slightly surprised when I meet people from years ago and they say something about me and I go, really?

I didn't know that. I mean, I think I was, I think I had different phases. I think at one point it was a bully. I think at what, I mean, I'm sort of guessing because if you're mousy, I mean, I do remember laughing in someone's face because they started their period and then telling everyone. I mean, proper bullying, actual bullying. And then, you know, but then I think at other points in my life, I had maybe hopefully a bit more empathy for people starting their period. But I think, yeah, I don't know.

I think I was very shy as a child, but I don't really remember that. I just remember sort of fighting for my corner a bit. And when you're popular at school, this is in Surrey, so it was like a private, was it like a... Again, I don't know. I mean, I think I was, but maybe I was just deluded. I think I was cock of the walk. Maybe they said you'd better keep in with that girl,

otherwise she'll take the piss out of you when your period starts. Yeah, exactly, exactly. The period bully. I mean, I think for sure, and I think as with a lot of actors, I certainly was aware that I needed to be funny. Yeah. And I think that was survival, and I think it still is. And in fact, on my wedding day, my two bridesmaids, my maid of honour and my chief bridesmaid, both men, both a couple.

And they, Sir Grant and Johnty, and they took me to one side and had the first serious chat with me they've ever had since and before, you know, since then. And they said, you'd better be fucking funny because he's really good looking and he'll definitely have an affair if you don't just keep the jokes rolling. So 25 years anniversary this month. I must be keeping the jokes going. Anyway, they weren't wrong. Oh God. Yeah, it's interesting that thing where that starts, because a lot of people have the ability.

Thank you, Will's to sports our coffees. We moved because the children were running a cafe and it was quite a sort of Faulty Towers cafe. It's so much nicer in there than it was. Oh, Faye's taking us up a notch, haven't you? you know she knows how to live we've not done a walk here since Victoria in January oh yeah you can also have a rose as the sun goes down like you can you over here it is quite smart let's walk here for i think i think that thing that you have though and a lot of people

have that is you're either that kind of person where i think if we go we can walk flatish and go just around by the i feel like that would be noisy because of the playground i think that's a really good idea. I think people have that gene though, don't know, where some people, and you probably notice it with your own kids and their friends and stuff, where some people are those kids that at Christmas, they say, hi everyone, welcome to the Fay Ripley show in the living room. Yes. And some people aren't like that. As kids. Yeah, wouldn't you say? Yes, I wasn't like that. Well, you're not. I am now. Right. So it was learned to that, which is interesting. Yeah. I mean, once you start getting around of applause it's quite addictive you know what I mean and when did when did you

realise you were funny do you think that that was a currency for you um because that's a big part of what you do obviously I think oh I don't really know I suppose when you're not the only one laughing yeah I suppose as a kid you go oh look there's some other people laughing um but I think that I think I've made some very bad jokes in my day time that have led to people hating me. What sort of joke? Well, because you know, you can trade, I mean, I remember at school, one girl, I wouldn't even say what her name was.

I can't even, I actually can remember both of her names. Now, look at these two little white ones are getting on. Oh my god, I actually didn't know which mom was mine. Yeah. And wasn't it, a friend. And it looks at a multi-poe. What, this one. I think this other little one might be something else similar.

Milo with me. Oh, Milo. Oh, Milo. Okay, I'm terrified of Milo's mother. That woman, I don't think she liked the cut of our jibv. I don't think she was keen on us. I'm going to be honest. She didn't want to then make friends go off, have a coffee with us.

She wanted to get the hell out of town. Fair enough. With Milo. Yeah, with Milo. She didn't want to hang around with Raymond. So anyway, yeah, you ended up deciding you wanted to be a performer. And I get the sense. Your mum was cool with that, but your dad was less cool with it.

My dad was motivated by money, hence the Ruzzo on a cigar coming out of his face. He was sort of great in many ways, my dad, but that was his main motivator. He couldn't understand why anyone would choose to be that financially insecure for the rest of their lives, which is what happens, if that's the choice. choose. So, and, you know, he, I did a play at the Bush Theatre when I was sort of in my late 20s and he came to see it and he said to me, and I have talked about this before, but he said to me, how much you're getting paid and it was, I think it was 175 quid a week and, and he sort of just looked to me and said, I would honestly rather you were, he used the word prostitute. because you get better paid.

And that was his brain. He wasn't trying to be mean. He just couldn't get his head round the sort of why you would do something and be sort of badly paid, basically. And then presumably he was thrilled when you got so successful though. Do you think he got it at that point?

He was the one that probably showed off the most about me in the end. You know, he was sort of, you know, I think, I think his postman in dorking, I'm sorry, was really irritated by how much my dad would show him clippings and everything else. So yes, it all came around, okay. I'm loving the sound of your dad. I am seeing a bit of a J.R figure in Cuban heels. Yeah, well, exactly.

And he had Cuban heels, because he was very short, had Cuban heels. He had a root perm to give himself another inch. I'm absolutely obsessed with him. And he had a girl's name. I'm sorry, nowadays, hey, all in. But Beverly. And he went to Harrow. Imagine being called Beverly in the 50s or whenever it was.

And being called Beverly. In fact, he renamed himself Frank because he was so embarrassed. Did he? Yeah. But he must have been to have gone to Harrow then. That's quite a posh family, isn't it? On his side it was. Yeah.

Hence the ITV show, My DNA Story. because it was all his side. It was all his sort of lineage. And then you tried to get into Guildhall, famously something like, was it three times? It was, yeah. Why do you think you were getting rejected initially? I used to tell myself it's because I was too good.

But I think looking back on it, it might have been because I was a bit shit. But you could have been if you got in. I did but I got in on the third attempt Right How's that win for you work? Is it okay? Is it?

Is it? I'll walk sideways I got in on the third attempt And I was sort of ecstatic And it was sort of life-changing I loved that three years It was amazing training, blah blah blah Finally doing what I wanted to do

And Everybody had a mentor at Guildhall, somebody who championed them. And everyone sort of, in the first week of getting, when you started, you'd find out who your mentor was, who got you in? Yeah. Who backed you? And everyone was like, oh, Sue backed me or Patsy backed me. And I heard that Tony Church, who at the time was the head of Guildhall, he backed me.

And I was just so proud. And at which point that I heard that, he walked me. he walked down the corridor towards me and went, well done Alan. I had really short hair. He thought I was a bloke. And I finally got in. And he thought I was blooming Alan. And so anyway, then I groom my hair and it was all fine.

Well, you also, you've had one of the most fascinating backstories when it comes to the odd jobs you've done throughout the years to keep your going which obviously you know that's a lot that's the way it is for a lot of actors stories like you became super successful when what were you at 29 something yeah late 20s with cold feet late 20s yeah but prior to that it obviously you worked in the tanning salon and I think I know this tanning salon and I think you definitely do I think I used to go there yeah I think I recognised you 100% when I saw you on cold feet because I was like because my picture is in was up for many years.

I think it was Coco's. Are we allowed to say it was Coco? Yes, but it's not there anymore. No. No. Absolutely. Run by Renee. I loved Renee.

Yes. But I can remember, and this is honestly no word of a lot. I remember talking to my sister. She's no longer here to back this story out. But I can remember saying when, because my sister was obsessed with Colfey, and I said, that's, and I did say, that's that really beautiful woman with the amazing eyes from Coco's. Oh, hello. I remember seeing you and you had these incredible blue eyes.

I think you were behind. home reception, I thought, God, that girl is so stunning. And I was a bit intimidated by you. Can I stop you there and say the reason you might have noticed my blue eyes? I do have blue eyes, but it's because I was getting free sunbeds. So it's more that the tan, which obviously now I regret, because I now look like a basically a handbag. So the free sunbeds that felt like a real bonus, they did light up the blue of the eyes. But I felt oddly proud of you. when you did my Coco's girl when I was watching Colt Fee. And so when you worked in the salon,

you've told this story before, but George Michael used to come in there. We could do a whole podcast on Cocoes. Can I just stop this right there? There needs to be like a sub-podcast because I know you're heading for the George Michael story, but there are so many. Are there? What else?

I can't even. But yes, the George Michael thing. Was Cocoa's kosher? in terms of I was never sure when I'd go there, they'd give you a little disc that you'd put in to the slot for your tan and the goggles. And I thought, I don't need those.

Terrible thing. As the receptionist, I probably told you you didn't leave them. I probably say, I don't bother. It's all right. I don't need any lotion. Listen, there in mind, Coco's the health centre. The only place you were allowed to smoke was in the gym.

okay that is the true story anyone can write in who used to go to cocos I put I used to put the ashtrays by the running machines that's it fine and I'd like to thank you for that yeah and so George Michael we should say he would go to Cocoes and everyone knew he went to Cocoes this was well known in North London so I always hoped I'd run into him yes but you did see him a lot I mean you were quite and you've talked about how you'd sort of keep hold of the towels and distribute them amongst your friends. Yes. That's so interesting those sort of early jobs though, isn't it? When you're kind of, because I know this sounds weird, but I think it's teaching you how to, jobs like that really, I think you learn a lot from, just front facing jobs like that, service jobs.

Yes, and I did do a lot of them all through my twenties, for sure. I mean, I still dream about a shift at Coco's every now and then. I'm folding the towels and emptying the astrayes in the gym. Like, oh, and sieving the flotation tanks. Oh, that's gross. Yes. Dawes didn't use that. No, he was only the tanning.

I bet he was super polite, wasn't he? He was lovely. He was lovely. I never want, I did such a sort of pathetic every time he came in, every time. And he was in twice a week. Every time I go, yes, hello, can I help? And he go, I want a face, I'm going, right, name every fucking time. Sorry, can I swear?

Yeah, of course. Every time I made the poor man say his name like I had no idea who he was. I love that. Look, I've seen this dog before. I'm going to call it the most impressive dog on the house. It looks like David Lee Ross. That's extraordinary. No, stop it.

Hi. Please don't kill up all. Hi, my love. It's so lovely to meet you. Oh, wow. Oh, what a dog. Oh, what's Rod Stewart's life called? Penny Lancaster.

Yeah, a bit Penny Lancastery. Very lovely long limbs. Unbelievable. Does it have a note? We should say what we're talking about. Is it an Afghan, Faye, do you think? An Afghan, maybe? I mean, I'm not sure.

It looks like a man in a dog costume. It does. Like those documentaries. What are they called the ones that dress up? Yeah, furies. Furies. It's a very glamorous furry furry. Apple, it's only an Afghan.

I know we don't see them much since the 70s, but we have to accept everyone. Apple, that bark does cut through you. Oh, I don't mind it. Small dogs are allowed. And look at the looming clouds on the horizon. Oh, yeah. We don't like those. Well, we sort of do.

Come on now. We're English. We like it for the garden. That's true. We need some rain. I go's the warden. Hello. Hello.

No, we'd just like to say hello to the warden. Say hello, Raymond. He thinks I'm weird. It is a bit weird, isn't. I thought he was stopping to say you need permission. So did I, I thought we were going to get told off. I thought we were in a sort of will having to sort of go and negotiate with slipping like 50 quid or something. Why do you think we think we're going to get in trouble, Faye?

What does that say about us? Um, I think because in the... I think because in the olden days, I was going to say when we were alive. Oh gosh. Oh God. Penny Lancaster's going past again. I think in the olden days, everyone was scared of being in trouble because the police were scary. It's not like now where there's no one to be in trouble with.

That's so true. You know what I mean? No one's telling anyone off anymore. Oh, Penny Lancaster's got her friend now. Okay. Okay. So yeah, so there was Coco's. Then you were a clown, famously. That was one of my best jobs of yours. Is the clan. I mean, to be fair, it was, it got me a mortgage. I mean, I...

Did you put that on your profession? I put it down, yeah, a clan. It was in the 80s and they said, what do you do? I said, I'm a clan. They went, how much do you want? And you go, that was the Halifax, by the way. And you go, I mean, is it such a surprise that the country's falling apart? And also, is it such, I suppose, that the 90s was such fun? Because we were literally just being given money and fun. And now, look, now it's all gone to shit.

But the clown Coco, who's tanning salon years, I think they were probably quite useful years. Do you think? Oh, they were miserable. What are they saying? They were miserable. But they were probably, but like out of anything, the silver lining is that you appreciate your life so, much more and I then until every morning now I pinch myself in gratitude I genuinely do for everything and it's not just what I've kind of accrued you know

in terms of financially or anything else or it's just I look around and I go thank you this is great because in my twenties it really didn't look great well you said something once and it really resonated with me I'd never thought about it like that but you talked about how you were living in Streatham and it was a very depressing time of your life because you weren't you were having to sort of do jobs you didn't really want to do to make it but you had no money and that every time you would go back there as a result you had a kind of visceral reaction to the area it's such an interesting observation that

because I have areas like that do you where's an area that you'd avoid I think there are certain areas I have which similar to that like a relationship so Are we basically slagging off South London? Are you and I from North London just going, yes, horrible makes us cry? No, there is one particular area in a very specific part of Islington. When I had a relationship that was just not a good relationship,

not a healthy relationship, and every time I go past those particular roads, it's still years later. You know, when you get that, it's kind of a visceral feeling of like, oh, there's bad energy for me around here. And it's not the poor area's fault, but I'll never... Well, can I say one thing that might be worth trying?

Go on. It has sort of worked for me. I haven't tried it on Streatham, okay? But I've tried it on other areas. Go on. Is when you go to that area and you have that feeling in your stomach, change it to if I could see me now. Do you see what I mean?

I love that. And it makes me feel so much better. because I could I that girl there couldn't have foreseen and even if it's difficult now and everything you've still lived your life and you still have your experiences and that's really good I like that advice and it sort of makes it okay yeah that's the thing I love that I'm going to do that next time yeah because it's kind of just and they always recommend you do that don't they you have conversations with your younger self I still find it I've had to do that in therapy and a thing I did called the Hoffman process and I still find it a bit cringe doing that.

Yeah. But it's meant to be really therapeutic that, isn't it? I suppose, I mean, I think those inner conversations are probably quite good. I don't redo much therapy, but every now and then I find, I probably should. I'm not saying I shouldn't. I'm too stingy to pay for it. That's actually what it is. I need therapy to help me pay for it.

So someone to sit down and go, come on. now. You've got to input a bit of cash into this. If you did have to have it, what thing would you want to address? Oh. Oh, it's quite a big bucket. Isn't it? Probably, but I don't want to address any of it. I don't. I love sweeping it under the carpet. It's my best trick. It's so good. Keep it all locked in the box. Oh, it's so good. And admittedly, every now and then, yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, It gets ugly, but then I'll just put it back under, and no one's any the wiser. I tell you what, I might have to do that podcast.

Sweep it under the carpet by favorite plea. It's marvellous. I really hope you love part one of this week's Walking the Dog. If you want to hear the second part of our chat, it'll be out on Thursday, so whatever you do, don't miss it. And remember to subscribe so you can join us on our walks every week.